There are two species of scorpions that live in Georgia: first is the Striped Bark Scorpion, and the second is the Southern Devil Scorpion (also known as the Southern Stripeless Scorpion or the Plain Eastern Stripeless Scorpion). These species vary in location; devil scorpions live primarily in the mountains of north and central Georgia, while striped scorpions live in sand hills and coastal plains throughout the state.
Most people assume that all scorpions live in deserts and stay far away from human habitats. That is not the case with either species native to Georgia, however. These species prefer open spaces and undisturbed habitats, but they will make their homes in residences and cabins if necessary. Both species of Georgia scorpions have powerful stingers, which can deliver a painful and venomous sting roughly equivalent in intensity to a wasp or yellow jacket. Though most scorpion species range in size from one to six inches, the two species found in Georgia typically measure only about an inch long at full maturity.
Adult devil scorpions have amber-colored shells, while adult striped scorpions have tan shells accented with light yellow horizontal stripes across the back. In both species, newborns remain attached to their mothers’ backs through the first stage of molting, when they shed their first coats and begin to resemble adults in appearance. Scorpions of both varieties belong to the class of arachnids, but look more like lobsters in appearance.
